They also cheered on students as they competed in the many events across the campus.

Horticulture students raced to build a garden against the clock. The winning garden, selected by public vote, was ‘Gone Fishing’, designed and built by Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma students Richard Hudson-Davies, Paul Byrne, Michael Nadin and Peter Roberts.

Agriculture students showed off their stockmanship skills in calf, pig and sheep shows. Champion handler in the calf show was Lizzie Mercer, closely followed by Kirsty Pickles, Molly Taylor, James Raven, Fiona Birtles and Megan Baldwin.

The Champion sheep handler title went to Amy Champ with Scott Davies second and Isabelle Goodwin third. Tom Bird took first place in the Young Shepherd competition, narrowly beating James McKenzie and Richard Bailey.

Re-introduced due to popular demand from students and spectators, the pig show pulled in an enthusiastic audience. Champion handler was Phil Gleave, with Lucy Culwick, Dewi Hughes and Jack Jones also taking top placings.

A fun dog show incorporating agility and novelty classes attracted record entries.

Best in show went to Dixie, a 15-week-old Staffordshire bull terrier x Jack Russell belonging to 17-year-old Lily Mason from Stoke, a Reaseheath animal management student. Dixie also won the class for the prettiest bitch.

Student Association members took the opportunity to raise money for their RAG (raising and giving) appeal, which in 2013 goes to Broughton House, a charity which provides specialist care for ex-service personnel from all areas of HRM forces and of all ages.

Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma in Animal Management students raised several hundred pounds for the Blue Cross animal charity by organising a ‘Paws for Tea’ stand laden with cakes and decorated with bunting. Retail stores M&S and Morrisons donated tea bags and confectionery for the event.

Entertainment in the main marquee included local rock band Hex, the Nantwich punk band Lost in Space, St Anne’s Catholic Primary School Choir, Celtica Irish dance school and Miss Caroline’s School of Dance, Crewe.

The action-packed programme also featured a flying demonstration of birds from the International Centre for Birds of Prey, a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, sheep shearing, a farmers’ and craft market, horse riding displays, tours of the college’s zoo and food centre, a high ropes course and climbing wall, archery, miniature train rides and the change to drive diggers and go karts.

Festival organiser Faye Thomson-Butt said: “Reaseheath’s Family Festival always attracts thousands of visitors and this year was no exception, despite the disappointing weather.

“It was a great opportunity to show the public the achievements of our students.

“Everyone seemed to enjoy our exciting programme and we had a lot of compliments about the high standard of our facilities and about the range of courses we offer.”